In 2013, another opportunity arose through his membership of the study group. He was offered a share-milking agreement to milk 850 cows in Estcourt at the Master Milking Trust with Australian partner John Moore.
They irrigate 170 ha of pasture from the Wagendrift Dam, as well as a further 30 ha where they plant maize and ryegrass. Here, they aim to milk 850 cows, bringing the total number of cows milked across the businesses to 2 000.
“ I now run three different businesses: The Plains, an owned base farm; Nutcombe, a leased farm; and the Milking Trust, a share-milking business that has been running for about 14 years. I have built a reputation as a frontrunner in the industry, and we are a profitable dairy business. My biggest challenge is people, and I have always relied on good managers. They enjoyed working for me, but the younger guys find new opportunities and move on.”
7. Cows are ready for the milking machines to be attached during one of the milking sessions.